


Finding Weirdos

by templarsandhoes



Series: Things You Said After it Was Over [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Fluff, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-13
Updated: 2016-03-13
Packaged: 2018-05-26 11:58:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6237691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/templarsandhoes/pseuds/templarsandhoes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Saren was dead, and so was Sovereign. The Geth were gone from the Citadel. Nicole Shepard was a hero, but would Kaidan want the woman and not the hero?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Finding Weirdos

**Author's Note:**

> I dragged my friend Renee into the mass effect dumpster and now i'm replaying the series because i'm also in the mass effect dumpster.

Nicole Shepard was a hero, or so everyone said. She was released from the hospital after Sovereign was defeated, interviews and ceremonies were over. A few more days, and she’d be back on the Normandy, back to work as usual. Or, as usual as it could get after what she just went through. She was on Earth, Vancouver specifically. Vancouver. The name of the city sounded just a little differently now. It wasn’t just where the Alliance had its headquarters, not anymore. It was where he was from. The city had little impact to her, but to him? It meant the world. She desperately wanted to see it through his eyes, to know what it’s like to call a single place ‘home’. 

She sat on a bench in a park, after a few hours of wandering the city by herself. A coffee in her hand, jeans and an Alliance t shirt covering her body, she sat and watched the city. In the colonies, people-watching could have been a professional sport. The amount of people, humans and other species, that passed through made no day similar to the other.  _ This _ felt like home to her. Alone in a crowd of people. She pulled her faux leather jacket together, sipping her coffee, her thoughts wandering. She wondered where he was, although he was more than likely with his family. Her own mother was too busy to visit in Vancouver, but she called every night. So, she was alone in a crowd of people, alone in a city. And it wasn’t perfect for once. 

A loner by choice, Nicole never felt the need for constant companionship. Not that she didn’t have friends, in fact, she got along well with most people. But she never connected with anyone to the point of wanting to be around them more than what was necessary. Not until now. Now there was an empty seat next to her on the bench, and there was one person, one man, she wanted to fill it. But would he take the seat if she offered it? Would he sit here with her, more than likely in silence, just as she had for so many years? Would he take Nicole the person, instead of Nicole the Commander? She took another long sip of the perfectly brewed coffee, closing her eyes in delight. As she opened them, a young couple walked by. Two women, holding hands, both of their smiles contagious. Would he walk hand in hand with her, just be two people in love with her? She caught a breath. Love. Is this what it felt like? Did she find love in the middle of a war? Figures; she never hesitated while in her uniform, but the minute she thinks she’s in love all bets are off. Another sip, another breath. Just a few more days and she’ll be back to normal. 

“Shepard,” Kaidan called out. Her blue eyes opened wide, knowing she had heard him calling her name. Her last name. She couldn’t help but feel her heart sinking into her stomach, the reflexive smile upon hearing his voice fading fast. She turned her head towards the direction of his voice, any and all negative feelings suddenly replaced by positive ones. He looked perfect. There was no other way to describe him. Tan work boots, fitted dark jeans accentuated his toned legs, a similar Alliance t shirt to the one she wore, and that blue zip-up hoodie he wore on board the Normandy. The one he had let her wear one night when they stayed up late talking. Stubble was growing on his face, his white teeth standing out amongst the dark hairs littering his lower face. He walked towards her, and she could tell he was comfortable. Maybe it was the way he was dressed, or the city. But she could tell he was at ease, more relaxed than she had ever seen him. Just when she thought she was falling for Kaidan the Lieutenant, she fell for Kaidan the person. And she fell hard. 

He sat down next to her, their thighs close but not touching. He smelt of cinnamon and some sort of musky cologne she’s never smelt on him before. As he got comfortable, that crooked smile lighting up the world around her, she felt nervous. Why was she nervous? They had already slept together, already told each other how much they wanted to be together. “Crazy few days,” he said casually. As if the last few months hadn’t been crazy enough. “How are you?” 

“Surprisingly, I’m good. No complaints at the moment,” she said, before sipping her coffee again. It was beginning to get cold, so she had to start drinking it fast. Which provided an excellent distraction from the man sitting beside her. He watched her, golden eyes focusing on her lips. 

“Well not when you’re drinking the best coffee in the city,” he said, a chuckle escaping his lips at the end. She looked at the paper cup in her hand, then back at him. 

“Really? This is the best?” 

“Of course it is. I was going to bring you to get a cup, but apparently you don’t need my help around here,” he said, his smile never fading. He was teasing her, playfully accusing her. Nicole’s smile came back in full force. 

“I just stumbled across the shop, I swear!” she exclaimed. His laughter filled her ears, that dorky laugh that made her smile bigger than the joke itself. 

“You just happened to come across my favorite coffee place in the entire city?” 

“You’re pretty easy to read sometimes, Alenko,” she teased, bringing the cup to her lips. 

“That’s hurtful, Nicole,” he said, leaning back against the bench. His use of her first name startled her. She didn’t even notice his arm draping across the back of the bench, and behind her. She looked at him, her smile small and coy as she caught him staring at her. Her cheeks grew pink and she turned back around. But, another man caught her eye suddenly. She instinctively placed her hand on his thigh, using her other hand to point her coffee cup in the direction she was looking. 

“Look!” she said, her voice a loud whisper. “See that guy over there? The one with the jeans too tight and the pink cut-off shirt?” 

Kaidan looked at her for a few more seconds before turning his attention. She watched him scan the small crowd in front of them. “Yeah okay, I see him,” he said. She leaned in closer, as if the man a hundred yards away could hear her. 

“He’s been talking to his dog for a little while, but then he stopped. He’s doing it again, though,” she began. He looked back at her, his brow furrowed slightly. 

“Come on, everyone talks to their pets,” he scoffed. 

“Shhh, listen,” she said. He rolled his eyes, and reluctantly listened again. She listened as well, but watched Kaidan. His face wasn’t focusing on anything in particular, concentrating on what she had asked him to do. Her smile grew in anticipation as the man spewed nonsense about the dog not filing the tax forms. Kaidan bursted out laughing, and Nicole matched it. “See!” she exclaimed through her giggling. His laughter slowed, and he wiped one eye with his free hand. He brought it down and gently placed his hand on top of hers. The contact didn’t startle her; in fact, she welcomed it. She turned her palm upside down and intertwined her fingers with his. She took one last sip of her coffee, then leaned against the back of the bench, where Kaidan’s arm was waiting for her. Kaidan’s lower half twisted so he could somewhat face her. 

“How did you notice that?” 

“I’ve always been good at people-watching,” she explained. His arm moved from the bench to the tops of her shoulders. 

“Alright well, if you’re done finding weirdos in the street, getting coffee without me…” he started. He was teasing her again, and she was giggling again. “Done saving the galaxy from not only the geth, and not only Saren, but Sovereign as well…” 

“Yes, I am,” she quickly answered. He let out half a breath, half a laugh. 

“Then I was wondering if you would like to go out to dinner with me tonight.” 

She stared into his eyes, his warm, inviting eyes. Any and all fears she had previously had while sitting on his bench melted away. “Is it as good as the coffee?”

“It’s better.” 

“Then I’d love to go out to dinner with you tonight,” she answered. Her voice was quiet and breathy, only needing one person to hear what she was saying. The arm draped across her shoulders quickly moved, his hand starting to cradle her neck. He kissed her, his lips pressing to hers in the middle of a park. Her heart fluttered, and not like it had the first time they kissed. Before it was lust; a need for each other physically, not wanting to die before having felt each other in every way possible. But now? This was what she was beginning to think was love. It was gentle and nerve-racking and terrifying and warm. He pulled back, both of their eyes still closed. 

“And if you tell me you just ‘stumbled across’ the restaurant-” he started, but was cut off by her giggling. He kissed her laughing lips again, squeezing her hand gently. She pulled away, quickly leaning back against the bench. She scooched closer to him, so their thighs were flush against each other. He moved his arm, pulling her body closer to his. “But I am curious to see if you can find any more weirdos around here,” he said. She sighed against him, and started to look out into the park once again. Where they sat for a few hours, perfectly content with each other’s company and not much else. Nicole was longer alone in a crowd of people, no longer alone in a city. 


End file.
